I'm 74. My son passed away almost 46 years ago. My favorite part of this video, is not the bus. It's listening to the two of you talk and the way your father looks at you when you reminisce about your trips together. It's a look of pride and a look of love. The two of you are lucky. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I’m so sorry for your loss. I pray you have some meaningful memories you’re able to reminisce over 💜 I agree with you. As a mom of 3, two of whom are now adults, watching this father and son interact was absolutely beautiful.
The interview & interaction between a father & son made this bus even that much more amazing! Stunning bus, the love, pride & memories made with father & son… Priceless❤
This is an unusually captivating video - the father-son commentary, the history and the clever design and renovation makes the production interesting even to someone like myself who has little interest in cars, car racing and vehicle collecting. It was a pleasure to get this tour and see the results of man's passion for a bus and hear his son's memories and sense his respect for one of his dad's passions. Thank you for the video, well done! Allen in Brooklyn, NY.
What a great video! I love seeing father and son together talking about real world projects. This was not only educational from a “car guy” perspective, but also incredibly heart warming. Thank you so much for sharing!
You must be so proud of your dad I can just imagine you both travelling in this and you answering all those questions with such pride I bet as a younger chap. It is a stunning build even by today's standards I think it is one of the best conversions one has ever witnessed it is quite stunning.
I'm Brazilian guy from UK and a coaches enthusiastic. Beautiful relationship son and father and amazing Flxible Classic. Great job guys. Big hugs for all !!!
The bus is a cool bonus. Seeing your dad light up and smile, remembering the good times you had together roadtripping that bus was really the highlight of this video 🙂Hope you two and your family are able to add new, fun memories to the ones you already have!
Thank you for sharing !! My second bus was a '62 Flexible Hi-Level but I never got to finish her ... had to take custody of my son so sold the bus. You did an incredible job with the conversion !! It was a pleasure to watch the video and see the love you put into the machine !! So glad you enjoy her !!
Such a talented man . I can appreciate the craftsmanship for sure , the dedication , and all the long hours , repeated trips to parts stores and hardware stores , trying to mate stuff together that wasn’t intended and yet look factory . All the the wiring , cables , etc This is a 10/out of 10 I love it
I love this bus and as a little girl I fell in love with it. No skylights, used as transit buses. The star of this episode is the relationship between Son and Father. Solid.
Beautifully retro. The exterior color choice was perfect. The bathroom door closed in order to extend the space was brilliant. The motor easily accessible is a plus and the quietness of the ride is a bonus. However, the best feature for me is that it's not all teched out. That is a rarity today. I enjoyed learning the history of the bus and appreciate how informed Dirk is. Thank you for sharing and taking us on a tour.
Love the unlimited hot water! So sensible. They probably have diesel heating as well that's very efficient. It reminds me of an American style school bus we had in the country...(nearly outback) Australia. That school bus was a serious cut above all the others, it was repurposed luxury bus like this one and the lines were very similar. It had a lot of chrome and it was all leaning forward in terms of the design lines. Great project! True respect.
I enjoyed the video’s laidback commentary. The detail touches of the bus history and remodel. The finished product has held up nicely. My complements to the camera control. At 76 years of age, I appreciate the quality and the effort to maintain as much originality as possible. Well done.
Cherish these moments. I lost my mentor 17 years ago. You have a great Dad. Enjoy every minute you can. There are a lot of things I missed out on. My dad was a very quiet and reserved man. I would give anything to have him be like yours.
What a nostalgic piece of art! I'm 76. I lived in Montreal until I was 5 when we moved to the US. When I was at least 5, I remember a man that used to have 5 or 6 busses with the rounded back with no rear windows like this one. They must have made an impression on me because I can still envision all of these beautiful busses parked in his yard in St. Andrews, Quebeck, Canada. This bus is so beautiful! I bet it's so much fun to drive!!!
I was the sound guy on the film crew that featured this bus (and matching tailgating trailer) in 2013 -- The fit and finish and attention to detail in this bus is STAGGERING ... The skylights over the bed must be nothing short of magical on a fall morning in the North Ga. mountains.
That was a fun day, you guys were so professional. I think that was for mega rv countdown, or something like that. If I remember correctly for the History channel possibly A&E. Long time ago.
What an amazing father and son combination you can just feel the love between them. What an fantastic Dad to have while you grew up. Wonderful vid and an amazing piece of history, the bus not your Dad. 👍
Outstanding, my father drove for the CTA in the 60's and i remember riding with him. At the end of the route, he let me turn the bus around on company property. I appreciate the video, I was 12 yrs old then.We were RV fans. Dad i hope you have U Tube in heaven.
Beautiful. It is in immaculate condition and well cared for, just like everything that old should be. And still going strong ! We need to bring this kind of quality back. Love it's lines and style ! What a cool and creative Dad you have ! It's a beautiful !
Love it. The preservation, the fact that you have had it a while and now have great family memories in it, the colors and the interior layout is really perfect. The high revving two stroke also gives off a nice sound that takes you back in time. Thanks for sharing this gem. If I had a choice between this and say a brand new coach, I would choose this one.
I sincerely appreciate people who give what it takes to preserve history. There is nothing like being able to take in the sight, sounds, smells, feel of times long ago. So so fulfilling for not just you guys, but everyone blessed enough to run across your path. Dreamy!
That is an ammazing motor home. The build quality is outstanding. Your dad is very down to earth. The value of this bus cant be measured...its just so cool. Powered by 2 stroke diesel. Being a camper, i know all about fresh/gray/black tanks and capacity. This was great to watch.
I am absolutely gob smacked by this beautiful RV! I’ve always thought of the ultimate comfortable ride and I’ve always thought back to these old Airport buses. I remember riding on these when I was a little kid and the ride was so smooth you could hardly tell you were going down the road. I’m sure you experienced something very similar. I’ve never seen one that had been dressed out as an RV before. Would love something like this. Thank you for posting!
Nice to see a Flxible bus. Even on Bus Grease Monkey’s channel they are fairly rare. There is an Australian family company which restored several Australian built versions BUT experienced so much demand for charters that they had to buy at least two West Coast versions, import them to Australia and then carry out bodywork, control and steering geometry conversion work to bring those buses to full RHD roadworthy condition.
That is a beauty guys. I love the old style buses, they've got so much character. It must have been a blast camping in that as a child. Thanks for sharing it.
This video was fascinating to me because I grew up less than a half mile from the factory in Loudonville, Ohio where these busses were manufactured (along with ambulances and hearses). So they are something I saw nearly every day as a child as they drove down the street near my home on their way to customers, And Hugo Young, who is mentioned early in the video as the founder of the company (named after its initial product, the flexible motorcycle sidecar coupling he invented) was still living in a home about 200 yards from my home. That was a very long time ago, as I turn 81 next month. Two other interesting sidebar stories. The company is named Flxible (without the "E" in the descriptive word "flExible) because Mr. Young mistakenly believed you could not establish a company name or trademark using an existing word in the dictionary. So he conjured a differently-spelled word that sounds the same. It was mentioned in the video that General Motors (a bus manufacturing competitor) would not sell its diesel engines to Flxible. However, GM did not use all the engines it manufactured in its own products and sold some bare engines to others. This was the issue in a case the went to the Supreme Court and was decided in Flxible's favor. If you sell products in the open market, you cannot refuse to sell to a particular customer simply because it is a competitor. I vaguely recall it was deemed a violation of something called the Robinson Patman act.
Adds a lot to the history the video gave us. Thanks for giving us more information. So cool that you grew up near the factory and had first-hand knowledge and great memories.
It looks gorgeous and I LOVE what you did to it to create an RV that brought many wonderful memories to your family. Thank you for sharing your incredible bus turned RV with us.
Everything is beautiful about this video. Cool dad loves his clever son, beautiful bus, lovely family stories. Such a pleasure to view, thank you both for sharing.
You’re dad is cool. I built a 1939 LaSalle with my dad when I was 13 (2003) and he wanted to keep it completely original and I remember wanting to change the color scheme to a green just like your bus! I didn’t win that one, he went with black, but I’m so happy he put his own tasteful spin on something rare and beautiful. He also sounds like Jeremy Irons.
7 months late to the game but LOVE THIS BUS !!! Greetings and bonjour from the French Riviera (so you know how wide spread your reach is). Born in Fort Worth, Texas and when I was around 6 years old, I was playing in our front yard in a new suburb outside the city limits. A Fort Worth City Bus, in yellow and white livery, pulled up at our curb and stopped ... never forgotten the air brake release sound. And out steps my Dad. And for the next 2 years, he removed all interior seats/fittings and converted it to bunk beds, kitchen, etc. (Toilet was in the rear entry stairs were) ... and my personal "Play house" during the process. Your interview with your Dad brought back fond memories so thanks for the stroll down memory lane y'all.
Very cool! My dad converted a 1940s Spartan bus very much like this one. Same curved lines, same door mechanism. And the layout was very much like yours, too. Not as nice, but still very functional and pretty good for the times-1960s. We traveled all over in that thing and yes people loved to come look at it and peek inside. His was a manual transmission. He eventually sold it, but I wonder whatever happened with it. I dream that it may still be in service somewhere!
It might be the one I posted 14 years ago at a cruise. Spartan only built 50 of them, and that one was the only one that wasn't sold for use, ended up as a motorhome conversion. Cleveland OH area. Haven't seen it in years. Search for "Rare 1948 Spartan Coach at Annabelle's".
This is absolutely beautiful! When I became a bus driver, one of the first buses I drove were Flexibles. This is my dream ROAD TRIP vehicle! I love the 2 tone color with the wheels and tires. Love how the upper green stripe forms a shevron point on the back, very nice touch! The door opening mechanism had to be over built. When I was a bus driver, we had to open and close the door at least 500 times in 8 hours. I drove for small private companies with lesser quality openers. Coat hangers and duck tape held them together.
At the age of 77, I remember seeing these busses on the roads in Ontario back in the 50s. At the time, the one that sticks in my mind the most was a camouflage green one used by the Canadian Air Force. I've always loved this model but didn't know anything about it. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Nice! My wife and I, and our microdog, live full-time in an RV, but a bit different from that. We have a fifth-wheel toy hauler, so we have my motorcycle with us wherever we go. We admire really clever builds like that one. It's great that it's holding up so well, a testament to your work.
That is the sweetest bus/rv. I can honestly say that is my dream setup, classic vehicle combined with modern appointments, excellent craftsmanship that exudes style and class. Well done sir.
Nicest conversion I've ever seen, bar none. Having grown up in Chicago I can remember the Flxe's being used as shuttles to Midway airport from downtown before O'hare amounted to anything.. this was back in the 50's. Those things were known to be way overbuilt and virtually bulletproof, saw many of them still around well into the 60's. The 6V53 is a solid engine but super loud-probably can't get much sleep in the back while on the road! Great father/son relationship as well; hard to find these days with families being so spread out. Excellent video!!
I saw a similar type of build (though not as nice) when I was a kid. Have loved the older, converted buses ever since. Your father has a real gem, and I'm sure you both have great memories from its use. Awesome rig and vid!!
This bus is what most of us dream about adventuring in! From a classic era of motor vehicles and a 100% vehicle to live it. Wonderful video. Thx for sharing.
Step dad and I built 2 bus motorhomes. The first was a scenic cruiser and the second was a 4107. Both turned out great. The toughest part of the build was getting the passenger seats out. We ended up just cutting the rails and welding in new floor supports.
That is the bomb!!!! As a retired bus driver that is precious. My father rode on a Brill when he was going to high school in the early 50's I came across a Brill in a field outside of Barstow.
Growing up in Honolulu in the 80's and 90's the bus system mostly had flxible busses from the early 70's, the windows rattled like crazy over every bump and pothole.
Ha...we had that same issue with the Flxible New Looks in D.C., when they all got rebuilt in 1993-1994, WMATA Mechanics custom fitted Furniture Floor Padding Protectors between the Window Dividers and the glass in order to reduce the rattle, it certainly made a major difference in noise reduction.
My dad converted a Flexible bus into a motorhome back in the late 60's early 70's. He brought it down to the chassis, raised the roof 11" and moved the door to the center. He was a grat mechanic ad well as a master cabinet maker/woodworker. Took him 6 years to finish it. Thank you for wking me down memory lane. By the way, he named our bus "Snoozer Cruiser".
I've always liked these buses ever since I saw one in the movie North by Northwest. The first rescue squad I worked in had one that was converted to a canteen. A big window on each side opened up and we could serve from the counter. We responded all over southeast PA to large fire scenes and fed the first responders.
Something truly one of a kind and of to be very proud! Wife and I love road tripping across the country when we can and if I ever see your bus, I'm definitely stopping to say hi and shake your hand. Happy travels!
Awesome bus, I fell in love with these ever since I saw my first one in the movie "RV." This one is beautifully done, and the interior remains nicer than any RV built in the early 2000's I ever saw, and I've seen some of the most expensive units from that time. And obviously the fact that it's built out of a 40's bus with that Art-Deco styling is just phenomenal. I always wanted to find one of these, and similarly make an RV out of it, maybe one day.
Taking on such a project is one thing, and achieving this quality of finish exterior & interior is sumpin else. Appreciate your tenacity. Awesome video gents. Loadsa luv from Chennai, India.
I don’t know if anyone remembers but there was a Robin Williams movie called RV and a family in that movie had a red flexible. I had never seen one before seeing that movie and it’s nice to see that someone actually owns one and it was being used like the one in the movie.
I worked for GM and spent a few years on the coach line, then retiring from engineering in Pontiac, Michigan. I appreciate the work you have done and really enjoyed this share, TY. I have seen a lot of fine vehicles over my many years and this is a Masterpiece. (Functional Art)
Very cool build! You did this Flxible justice! That is an excellent job! I was a Transit Driver/Coach Operator. I'd love to drive coach because you laid out the cockpit intuitively! And your living space is just as great! It is comfy and welcoming! You two are great! Thanks for sharing your Home on wheels! 👍😊!
My band-mate shared this with me. What a great video and wonderful rebuild! I loved driving our Flxible! Like they say, it was super comfortable. The manual tranny took a bit of getting used to, but we took it thru the mountains. The "Creston-Salmo Cutoff" in British Columbia Hwy 3 was very steep and long but she made it! In Calgary we had to start it by rolling down a narrow back lane sloped toward a garage at the end where the lane Tee'd. The bus had been parked quite a few days and there was no air in the brake tanks. We got it started with about 100 feet to spare, and then we gunned the engine to try to put some air in the tanks so we could apply the brakes so we wouldn't hit the garage. Some deft driving and the tiniest bit of brake power got us around the right-angle corner without hitting anything. Lots of fun!
Beautiful bus. You really did an awesome job with the renovation, which is comparable with current renovations. You would never know that this renovation was done 14-16 years ago.
This bus is a Yacht on wheels. A gem among gems! Have yet to see what the bus looked like before all the dedicated hard work, but she sure turned out gorgeous!
My Dad converted a '47 for his 7-kid family late '60s. Had a full size frig, two dinette tables, usual RV stove, stool, sink, shower. Full size bunks x3, lower with storage below. Kept the air horns, blew them under bridges. Great memories of short adventures. He did all the work himself including prime and paint. Had his two initials on the door (LC) in a slant cursive design. He thought diesel was going to be the next cheaper fuel, which it was for a time, but he sold the Flx, and got a diesel. He had most components to install but didn't get to his 2nd, he broke her down with a grinder by hand without a scratch and hauled her trailer by trailer to the junk yard. It broke my heart he didn't realize his 2nd, but he was the best Dad ever. 8th grade education, IBM machinist and his last project (his work was always secret) was getting the hard drive to the size it was in '93. I can appreciate your examples of being a father I wish every boy out there could have, along with preserving some unique automotive innovations of their time that are repurposed for family recreation!
Very beautiful RV bus. I never knew Detroit made a v6 diesel variant, since it is a military spec from the old days. It must be bloody reliable and under stress :)
The Detroit 2 Cycle Diesels are some of the simplest, most reliable, sturdy and easy to maintain engines ever. Watch some of the Bus Grease Money early videos where he brings them back to life after being silent for tens of years.
The 6V53T was, according to my understanding, a standard upgrade from the 6V53 for the M113A2 and later versions, as the kerb weight increased with the fuel storage being moved outside the passenger compartment and the armour being upgraded. N.B Only the petrol engine powered M113 and the-6V53 powered-M113A1 are amphibious.
@@Torsee The Series 53 were apparently an inline 3 or 4, plus V's with 6 or 8 cylinders. In the 71 Series there were inline 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 cylinder, plus V 6, 8, 12, and 16. The big Series 92 were apparently all V's, with 6, 8, 12, or 16 cylinders.
I saw it start up in the silent thumbnail/preview deal and I just KNEW it was a Detroit just by the way the exhaust looked, haha! Very appropriate choice of power plant for an old bus (even if these were all gasoline, the Detroits were in all kinds of buses back in the day). Awesome, AWESOME build.
I love old buses turned into RV's, like on the movie RV with Robin Williams, and I do agree with the father and son comments...I wish I had that with my dad, you two are blessed. God Bless
I bought a 1960 Wayne to renovate and convert when my son was 7 or 8. Almost immediately after his mother took him to Arkansas, 6 hrs away and we never got to work on the bus due to extremely limited visitation (her alienation), and driving 13+ hrs out of the 2 day weekends i did get. Some things you can never take for granted, enjoy your children if you get that opportunity
That’s a fantastic bus! I’ve loved Flxible’s ever since I found out about bus conversions. I ended up buying a fifth wheel, but I still love those old buses. Congratulations to your dad for the work he put into it and you for an interesting video.
What a special relationship with your family and your offspring. Truly enjoyed the video and such dedication to detail was very inspiring. Thank you both for such a wonderful presentation of your loving and caring family.
I love the fact that your son Interviewed you and remembering those trips whit you when he was younger ,,, when my kids where growing up have to get into Van's for them to ride better whit us and we travel the West part of the US and make a good memories whit them and you have this beautiful Bus in my younger days I used to travel on one like that
I love that conversion. A real home away from home. The US did utility vehicles so well in the mid 20th century. Here in the UK, they were very functional, but yours were stylish and elegant, as well as being exceptionally well built and long lasting.
It was fun to meet your dad, a very good looking man and talented. This is a beautiful build, very classy vintage bus and so spacious and elegant. The dashboard was very well restored. The bathroom was spacious and vintage. The living area was light and airy, very nice. The interaction between father and son was very sweet to see. You are both very good looking. A tip for your filming: Keep your camera moving, panning, and showing details while he talks so we can see the whole bus interior a bit better. It was out of balance to spend 60% of time outside and 30% of time inside fixed on the speaker and 10% on glimpses of the build. It was very frustrating not to see the build out properly. Show the kitchen, bathroom, under bed storage, closets a bit more. Storage above the cab, etc. Sometimes you have to do that separately alone. Never keep your camera on the speaker more than a few seconds at a time, while showing the bus tour. Later you can do some facetime. This will make a better video overall. Look at Tiny Home Tours, and New Jersey Outdoor Adventures for how they conduct a bus tour. Thank you for no music. That was great.
Your bus is awesome. I've seen other vintage conversions, yours is by far the best. Great choice on the engine as well. I use to repair Detroit engines, I love that two stroke exhaust sound. Thank you for sharing!
I'm 74. My son passed away almost 46 years ago. My favorite part of this video, is not the bus. It's listening to the two of you talk and the way your father looks at you when you reminisce about your trips together. It's a look of pride and a look of love.
The two of you are lucky.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I'm so sorry for you that you lost your son at a such young age.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I pray you have some meaningful memories you’re able to reminisce over 💜 I agree with you. As a mom of 3, two of whom are now adults, watching this father and son interact was absolutely beautiful.
i feel with you and your loss , about the same situation here
Your not alone 🤗
Love ❤ from India mumbai/Goa
You sound like a cool dad Gregg
The interview & interaction between a father & son made this bus even that much more amazing! Stunning bus, the love, pride & memories made with father & son… Priceless❤
Wow... the only thing cooler than that bus is your dad. You're lucky to have both in your life. What a machine, Great video!
This is an unusually captivating video - the father-son commentary, the history and the clever design and renovation makes the production interesting even to someone like myself who has little interest in cars, car racing and vehicle collecting. It was a pleasure to get this tour and see the results of man's passion for a bus and hear his son's memories and sense his respect for one of his dad's passions. Thank you for the video, well done! Allen in Brooklyn, NY.
What a great video! I love seeing father and son together talking about real world projects. This was not only educational from a “car guy” perspective, but also incredibly heart warming. Thank you so much for sharing!
Exactly! Beautiful story!
You must be so proud of your dad I can just imagine you both travelling in this and you answering all those questions with such pride I bet as a younger chap. It is a stunning build even by today's standards I think it is one of the best conversions one has ever witnessed it is quite stunning.
That is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out! The styling of mid-century vehicles really was top tier. They don't make them that nice anymore.
Beautiful, is she for sale?
Thanks for such a informative and professional video presentation, especially with no music😊
Took the words right out of my mouth.
That's the most beautiful, awesome RV I've seen. Really a gorgeous and modern way to live. Even the garage is far out.
@@tennisbum3686
The music can be so annoying,
I agree, keep the music out.
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊p
I'm Brazilian guy from UK and a coaches enthusiastic. Beautiful relationship son and father and amazing Flxible Classic. Great job guys. Big hugs for all !!!
The bus is a cool bonus. Seeing your dad light up and smile, remembering the good times you had together roadtripping that bus was really the highlight of this video 🙂Hope you two and your family are able to add new, fun memories to the ones you already have!
You could see the dad's pride in his creation for his family, all the good times they had. He beamed.
Thank you for sharing !! My second bus was a '62 Flexible Hi-Level but I never got to finish her ... had to take custody of my son so sold the bus. You did an incredible job with the conversion !! It was a pleasure to watch the video and see the love you put into the machine !! So glad you enjoy her !!
Such a talented man . I can appreciate the craftsmanship for sure , the dedication , and all the long hours , repeated trips to parts stores and hardware stores , trying to mate stuff together that wasn’t intended and yet look factory . All the the wiring , cables , etc
This is a 10/out of 10
I love it
I love this bus and as a little girl I fell in love with it. No skylights, used as transit buses. The star of this episode is the relationship between Son and Father. Solid.
Your dad is a likable man, I like his personality. Be good to him !
Beautifully retro. The exterior color choice was perfect. The bathroom door closed in order to extend the space was brilliant. The motor easily accessible is a plus and the quietness of the ride is a bonus. However, the best feature for me is that it's not all teched out. That is a rarity today. I enjoyed learning the history of the bus and appreciate how informed Dirk is. Thank you for sharing and taking us on a tour.
Awesome unique build. No corners cut. Good mix of retro styling and modern convenience. My kinda RV !
Very nice.....well done.
Love the unlimited hot water! So sensible. They probably have diesel heating as well that's very efficient.
It reminds me of an American style school bus we had in the country...(nearly outback) Australia. That school bus was a serious cut above all the others, it was repurposed luxury bus like this one and the lines were very similar. It had a lot of chrome and it was all leaning forward in terms of the design lines. Great project! True respect.
You are lucky to chill and chat with your Dad ,appreciate every moment
watching you from kenya 🇰🇪
What a beautifully well done build, and great people to boot !
I enjoyed the video’s laidback commentary. The detail touches of the bus history and remodel. The finished product has held up nicely. My complements to the camera control. At 76 years of age, I appreciate the quality and the effort to maintain as much originality as possible. Well done.
Cherish these moments. I lost my mentor 17 years ago. You have a great Dad. Enjoy every minute you can. There are a lot of things I missed out on. My dad was a very quiet and reserved man. I would give anything to have him be like yours.
What a nostalgic piece of art!
I'm 76. I lived in Montreal until I was 5 when we moved to the US. When I was at least 5, I remember a man that used to have 5 or 6 busses with the rounded back with no rear windows like this one. They must have made an impression on me because I can still envision all of these beautiful busses parked in his yard in St. Andrews, Quebeck, Canada.
This bus is so beautiful! I bet it's so much fun to drive!!!
That bus rocks, what else can be said! ❤
I was the sound guy on the film crew that featured this bus (and matching tailgating trailer) in 2013 -- The fit and finish and attention to detail in this bus is STAGGERING ... The skylights over the bed must be nothing short of magical on a fall morning in the North Ga. mountains.
That was a fun day, you guys were so professional. I think that was for mega rv countdown, or something like that. If I remember correctly for the History channel possibly A&E. Long time ago.
What an amazing father and son combination you can just feel the love between them. What an fantastic Dad to have while you grew up. Wonderful vid and an amazing piece of history, the bus not your Dad. 👍
Sweet conversion! I love that you kept that rare old bus rolling. Thanks for sharing this.
Outstanding, my father drove for the CTA in the 60's and i remember riding with him. At the end of the route, he let me turn the bus around on company property. I appreciate the video, I was 12 yrs old then.We were RV fans. Dad i hope you have U Tube in heaven.
That bus is gorgeous !!! your dad did a fantastic job on it!!
Beautiful. It is in immaculate condition and well cared for, just like everything that old should be. And still going strong ! We need to bring this kind of quality back. Love it's lines and style ! What a cool and creative Dad you have ! It's a beautiful !
Love it. The preservation, the fact that you have had it a while and now have great family memories in it, the colors and the interior layout is really perfect. The high revving two stroke also gives off a nice sound that takes you back in time. Thanks for sharing this gem. If I had a choice between this and say a brand new coach, I would choose this one.
The craftsmanship of this coach alone, Wow!
Excellent job, the time invested with your children appears to have really paid off and the Flexible I’m sure is a family treasure.
I sincerely appreciate people who give what it takes to preserve history. There is nothing like being able to take in the sight, sounds, smells, feel of times long ago. So so fulfilling for not just you guys, but everyone blessed enough to run across your path. Dreamy!
BTW-a joy to drive flat front. I drove a school bus with big 'antenna' mirrors. Best years driving those. Ease of seeing the kids around the front.
The integrity is AMAZING, classic , timeless, beautiful
That is an ammazing motor home. The build quality is outstanding. Your dad is very down to earth. The value of this bus cant be measured...its just so cool. Powered by 2 stroke diesel. Being a camper, i know all about fresh/gray/black tanks and capacity. This was great to watch.
I am absolutely gob smacked by this beautiful RV! I’ve always thought of the ultimate comfortable ride and I’ve always thought back to these old Airport buses. I remember riding on these when I was a little kid and the ride was so smooth you could hardly tell you were going down the road. I’m sure you experienced something very similar. I’ve never seen one that had been dressed out as an RV before. Would love something like this. Thank you for posting!
Nice to see a Flxible bus. Even on Bus Grease Monkey’s channel they are fairly rare. There is an Australian family company which restored several Australian built versions BUT experienced so much demand for charters that they had to buy at least two West Coast versions, import them to Australia and then carry out bodywork, control and steering geometry conversion work to bring those buses to full RHD roadworthy condition.
That is a beauty guys.
I love the old style buses, they've got so much character.
It must have been a blast camping in that as a child.
Thanks for sharing it.
Beautiful build. Checked out the pictures on the website, looks very comfortable and homey. Your dad is a real craftsman!
The bus is cool guys but you’re lucky to be able to hang out together that’s the best part.
This video was fascinating to me because I grew up less than a half mile from the factory in Loudonville, Ohio where these busses were manufactured (along with ambulances and hearses). So they are something I saw nearly every day as a child as they drove down the street near my home on their way to customers, And Hugo Young, who is mentioned early in the video as the founder of the company (named after its initial product, the flexible motorcycle sidecar coupling he invented) was still living in a home about 200 yards from my home. That was a very long time ago, as I turn 81 next month.
Two other interesting sidebar stories.
The company is named Flxible (without the "E" in the descriptive word "flExible) because Mr. Young mistakenly believed you could not establish a company name or trademark using an existing word in the dictionary. So he conjured a differently-spelled word that sounds the same.
It was mentioned in the video that General Motors (a bus manufacturing competitor) would not sell its diesel engines to Flxible. However, GM did not use all the engines it manufactured in its own products and sold some bare engines to others. This was the issue in a case the went to the Supreme Court and was decided in Flxible's favor. If you sell products in the open market, you cannot refuse to sell to a particular customer simply because it is a competitor. I vaguely recall it was deemed a violation of something called the Robinson Patman act.
Superb insights. Thank you.
Thank you for the informative stories sir. People such as yourself are what makes the comments section invaluable. Cheers sir 👍
Here, Here. This is exactly how comments should be.
Adds a lot to the history the video gave us. Thanks for giving us more information. So cool that you grew up near the factory and had first-hand knowledge and great memories.
I miss my Dad. He was a lot like yours. Enjoy these years son....
It looks gorgeous and I LOVE what you did to it to create an RV that brought many wonderful memories to your family. Thank you for sharing your incredible bus turned RV with us.
Everything is beautiful about this video. Cool dad loves his clever son, beautiful bus, lovely family stories. Such a pleasure to view, thank you both for sharing.
You’re dad is cool. I built a 1939 LaSalle with my dad when I was 13 (2003) and he wanted to keep it completely original and I remember wanting to change the color scheme to a green just like your bus! I didn’t win that one, he went with black, but I’m so happy he put his own tasteful spin on something rare and beautiful. He also sounds like Jeremy Irons.
Jeremy Irons...?
Scar..
Wow, looks very retro futuristic! This bus is a real work of art. My respect to your father's work.
Nice to see a good son who is proud of his father.
7 months late to the game but LOVE THIS BUS !!! Greetings and bonjour from the French Riviera (so you know how wide spread your reach is). Born in Fort Worth, Texas and when I was around 6 years old, I was playing in our front yard in a new suburb outside the city limits. A Fort Worth City Bus, in yellow and white livery, pulled up at our curb and stopped ... never forgotten the air brake release sound. And out steps my Dad. And for the next 2 years, he removed all interior seats/fittings and converted it to bunk beds, kitchen, etc. (Toilet was in the rear entry stairs were) ... and my personal "Play house" during the process. Your interview with your Dad brought back fond memories so thanks for the stroll down memory lane y'all.
Very cool! My dad converted a 1940s Spartan bus very much like this one. Same curved lines, same door mechanism. And the layout was very much like yours, too. Not as nice, but still very functional and pretty good for the times-1960s. We traveled all over in that thing and yes people loved to come look at it and peek inside. His was a manual transmission. He eventually sold it, but I wonder whatever happened with it. I dream that it may still be in service somewhere!
It might be the one I posted 14 years ago at a cruise. Spartan only built 50 of them, and that one was the only one that wasn't sold for use, ended up as a motorhome conversion. Cleveland OH area. Haven't seen it in years. Search for "Rare 1948 Spartan Coach at Annabelle's".
This is absolutely beautiful! When I became a bus driver, one of the first buses I drove were Flexibles. This is my dream ROAD TRIP vehicle! I love the 2 tone color with the wheels and tires. Love how the upper green stripe forms a shevron point on the back, very nice touch! The door opening mechanism had to be over built. When I was a bus driver, we had to open and close the door at least 500 times in 8 hours. I drove for small private companies with lesser quality openers. Coat hangers and duck tape held them together.
Beautiful job. Kept all the classic looks with nice upgrades. I so appreciate people like you keeping some history alive and useful. Excellent!
At the age of 77, I remember seeing these busses on the roads in Ontario back in the 50s. At the time, the one that sticks in my mind the most was a camouflage green one used by the Canadian Air Force.
I've always loved this model but didn't know anything about it. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
What a beautiful bus! You did a great interview and your dad had all kinds of interesting information to share. Nice job.
Nice! My wife and I, and our microdog, live full-time in an RV, but a bit different from that. We have a fifth-wheel toy hauler, so we have my motorcycle with us wherever we go. We admire really clever builds like that one. It's great that it's holding up so well, a testament to your work.
My dad has that same tattoo. Another cool dad we wish we had. I can only imagine the cool stories he’s got to tell.
That is the sweetest bus/rv. I can honestly say that is my dream setup, classic vehicle combined with modern appointments, excellent craftsmanship that exudes style and class. Well done sir.
Love the sound of a two stroke Detroit diesel! Beautiful bus guys, and the family history is amazing! Glad you and dad have that to share Chase.
Love the bus, it's so spacious inside. What an amazing restoration done. Love the woodwork. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome bus !! Have always loved the looks of these and very nicely done interior . Very cool dad ,and great job Kase .
Nicest conversion I've ever seen, bar none. Having grown up in Chicago I can remember the Flxe's being used as shuttles to Midway airport from downtown before O'hare amounted to anything.. this was back in the 50's. Those things were known to be way overbuilt and virtually bulletproof, saw many of them still around well into the 60's. The 6V53 is a solid engine but super loud-probably can't get much sleep in the back while on the road! Great father/son relationship as well; hard to find these days with families being so spread out. Excellent video!!
I saw a similar type of build (though not as nice) when I was a kid. Have loved the older, converted buses ever since. Your father has a real gem, and I'm sure you both have great memories from its use. Awesome rig and vid!!
This bus is what most of us dream about adventuring in! From a classic era of motor vehicles and a 100% vehicle to live it. Wonderful video. Thx for sharing.
Step dad and I built 2 bus motorhomes. The first was a scenic cruiser and the second was a 4107. Both turned out great. The toughest part of the build was getting the passenger seats out. We ended up just cutting the rails and welding in new floor supports.
Thanks for sharing this piece of your family history. Great Bus conversion to an RV, I love the curves.
This is so cool! Lots of great childhood memories. What does your dad do to afford this type of setup?
That is the bomb!!!! As a retired bus driver that is precious. My father rode on a Brill when he was going to high school in the early 50's I came across a Brill in a field outside of Barstow.
Growing up in Honolulu in the 80's and 90's the bus system mostly had flxible busses from the early 70's, the windows rattled like crazy over every bump and pothole.
Ha...we had that same issue with the Flxible New Looks in D.C., when they all got rebuilt in 1993-1994, WMATA Mechanics custom fitted Furniture Floor Padding Protectors between the Window Dividers and the glass in order to reduce the rattle, it certainly made a major difference in noise reduction.
My dad converted a Flexible bus into a motorhome back in the late 60's early 70's. He brought it down to the chassis, raised the roof 11" and moved the door to the center. He was a grat mechanic ad well as a master cabinet maker/woodworker. Took him 6 years to finish it. Thank you for wking me down memory lane. By the way, he named our bus "Snoozer Cruiser".
Awesome classic bus! The exterior colors are beautiful & the chrome really looks great
Just awesome! I love how your dad refitted the bus and I hope it stays with your family for a long time. Your dad is really cool!
I've always liked these buses ever since I saw one in the movie North by Northwest. The first rescue squad I worked in had one that was converted to a canteen. A big window on each side opened up and we could serve from the counter. We responded all over southeast PA to large fire scenes and fed the first responders.
You’re speaking of the Second Alarmers in Willow Grove. I was a Chief Engineer in early 70’s and worked on that bus!
@@roberttwist5190 I was there from 76 to 84
Something truly one of a kind and of to be very proud! Wife and I love road tripping across the country when we can and if I ever see your bus, I'm definitely stopping to say hi and shake your hand.
Happy travels!
Awesome bus, I fell in love with these ever since I saw my first one in the movie "RV." This one is beautifully done, and the interior remains nicer than any RV built in the early 2000's I ever saw, and I've seen some of the most expensive units from that time. And obviously the fact that it's built out of a 40's bus with that Art-Deco styling is just phenomenal. I always wanted to find one of these, and similarly make an RV out of it, maybe one day.
Taking on such a project is one thing, and achieving this quality of finish exterior & interior is sumpin else. Appreciate your tenacity. Awesome video gents. Loadsa luv from Chennai, India.
I don’t know if anyone remembers but there was a Robin Williams movie called RV and a family in that movie had a red flexible. I had never seen one before seeing that movie and it’s nice to see that someone actually owns one and it was being used like the one in the movie.
Exactly what I was thinking when I saw the thumbnail
I worked for GM and spent a few years on the coach line, then retiring from engineering in Pontiac, Michigan. I appreciate the work you have done and really enjoyed this share, TY. I have seen a lot of fine vehicles over my many years and this is a Masterpiece. (Functional Art)
Nice job Kase, video turned out great.
Very cool build! You did this Flxible justice! That is an excellent job! I was a Transit Driver/Coach Operator. I'd love to drive coach because you laid out the cockpit intuitively! And your living space is just as great! It is comfy and welcoming! You two are great! Thanks for sharing your Home on wheels! 👍😊!
It’s awesome to see family! Casey gets it honest, doesn’t he?? I can imagine running all over the place in this.
Wow! What a dream bus! I think your bus is the most beautiful conversion I've seen in a bus of that era. Congratulations on a job very well done!
Gods above this is such an amazing build. Damn fine work!
My band-mate shared this with me. What a great video and wonderful rebuild! I loved driving our Flxible! Like they say, it was super comfortable. The manual tranny took a bit of getting used to, but we took it thru the mountains. The "Creston-Salmo Cutoff" in British Columbia Hwy 3 was very steep and long but she made it! In Calgary we had to start it by rolling down a narrow back lane sloped toward a garage at the end where the lane Tee'd. The bus had been parked quite a few days and there was no air in the brake tanks. We got it started with about 100 feet to spare, and then we gunned the engine to try to put some air in the tanks so we could apply the brakes so we wouldn't hit the garage. Some deft driving and the tiniest bit of brake power got us around the right-angle corner without hitting anything. Lots of fun!
What an awesome machine! I can tell that you are very proud of your bus, as you should be. Great job and a great story. 👍❤❤
Beautiful bus. You really did an awesome job with the renovation, which is comparable with current renovations. You would never know that this renovation was done 14-16 years ago.
This bus is a Yacht on wheels. A gem among gems! Have yet to see what the bus looked like before all the dedicated hard work, but she sure turned out gorgeous!
My Dad converted a '47 for his 7-kid family late '60s. Had a full size frig, two dinette tables, usual RV stove, stool, sink, shower. Full size bunks x3, lower with storage below. Kept the air horns, blew them under bridges. Great memories of short adventures. He did all the work himself including prime and paint. Had his two initials on the door (LC) in a slant cursive design. He thought diesel was going to be the next cheaper fuel, which it was for a time, but he sold the Flx, and got a diesel. He had most components to install but didn't get to his 2nd, he broke her down with a grinder by hand without a scratch and hauled her trailer by trailer to the junk yard. It broke my heart he didn't realize his 2nd, but he was the best Dad ever. 8th grade education, IBM machinist and his last project (his work was always secret) was getting the hard drive to the size it was in '93. I can appreciate your examples of being a father I wish every boy out there could have, along with preserving some unique automotive innovations of their time that are repurposed for family recreation!
I love old school styling and this bus has plenty. Loved the showcase and discussion! Never heard of Flxible before. Cool one guys! 💪💪
What a gorgeous RV! Amazing build! Thank you for sharing!
Very beautiful RV bus. I never knew Detroit made a v6 diesel variant, since it is a military spec from the old days. It must be bloody reliable and under stress :)
The Detroit 2 Cycle Diesels are some of the simplest, most reliable, sturdy and easy to maintain engines ever. Watch some of the Bus Grease Money early videos where he brings them back to life after being silent for tens of years.
The 6V53T was, according to my understanding, a standard upgrade from the 6V53 for the M113A2 and later versions, as the kerb weight increased with the fuel storage being moved outside the passenger compartment and the armour being upgraded. N.B Only the petrol engine powered M113 and the-6V53 powered-M113A1 are amphibious.
There was many iterations of the Screaming Detroit!
In-line 4 cyl.
V6
V8
And the masterpiece the V12.
All in different displacements.
Vee versions of all of the similar Detroit Diesel 2-stroke diesels (53, 71, and 92 series) were common.
@@Torsee The Series 53 were apparently an inline 3 or 4, plus V's with 6 or 8 cylinders.
In the 71 Series there were inline 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 cylinder, plus V 6, 8, 12, and 16.
The big Series 92 were apparently all V's, with 6, 8, 12, or 16 cylinders.
I saw it start up in the silent thumbnail/preview deal and I just KNEW it was a Detroit just by the way the exhaust looked, haha! Very appropriate choice of power plant for an old bus (even if these were all gasoline, the Detroits were in all kinds of buses back in the day). Awesome, AWESOME build.
A very fine machine! Nice to see the old Flxible’s being restored/upgraded and driven!
I love old buses turned into RV's, like on the movie RV with Robin Williams, and I do agree with the father and son comments...I wish I had that with my dad, you two are blessed. God Bless
I bought a 1960 Wayne to renovate and convert when my son was 7 or 8. Almost immediately after his mother took him to Arkansas, 6 hrs away and we never got to work on the bus due to extremely limited visitation (her alienation), and driving 13+ hrs out of the 2 day weekends i did get.
Some things you can never take for granted, enjoy your children if you get that opportunity
That’s a fantastic bus! I’ve loved Flxible’s ever since I found out about bus conversions. I ended up buying a fifth wheel, but I still love those old buses. Congratulations to your dad for the work he put into it and you for an interesting video.
Great job by both of you! ...and what a pleasure it is to see so many warm hearted people in the comments! 👍
I love this bus! Great video guys. Very informative.
What a special relationship with your family and your offspring. Truly enjoyed the video and such dedication to detail was very inspiring. Thank you both for such a wonderful presentation of your loving and caring family.
Cool bus. Great layout and workmanship! Very nice interview and so very nice to see such a happy father son relationship.
I love the fact that your son Interviewed you and remembering those trips whit you when he was younger ,,, when my kids where growing up have to get into Van's for them to ride better whit us and we travel the West part of the US and make a good memories whit them and you have this beautiful Bus in my younger days I used to travel on one like that
I love that conversion. A real home away from home. The US did utility vehicles so well in the mid 20th century. Here in the UK, they were very functional, but yours were stylish and elegant, as well as being exceptionally well built and long lasting.
It was fun to meet your dad, a very good looking man and talented. This is a beautiful build, very classy vintage bus and so spacious and elegant. The dashboard was very well restored. The bathroom was spacious and vintage. The living area was light and airy, very nice. The interaction between father and son was very sweet to see. You are both very good looking.
A tip for your filming:
Keep your camera moving, panning, and showing details while he talks so we can see the whole bus interior a bit better. It was out of balance to spend 60% of time outside and 30% of time inside fixed on the speaker and 10% on glimpses of the build. It was very frustrating not to see the build out properly. Show the kitchen, bathroom, under bed storage, closets a bit more. Storage above the cab, etc. Sometimes you have to do that separately alone. Never keep your camera on the speaker more than a few seconds at a time, while showing the bus tour. Later you can do some facetime. This will make a better video overall. Look at Tiny Home Tours, and New Jersey Outdoor Adventures for how they conduct a bus tour. Thank you for no music. That was great.
Your bus is awesome. I've seen other vintage conversions, yours is by far the best. Great choice on the engine as well. I use to repair Detroit engines, I love that two stroke exhaust sound. Thank you for sharing!
Very cool. We are currently restoring a 1953 GM Old Look. We plan converting the interior into a retro RV. Thank you for your inspiration.
Gorgeous bus. Thanks for sharing the great chemistry between father, son and your love for the bus.